What a family

From
Brendan Parsons

We read with interest your article on the Turbinia, the steam turbine-powered vessel designed by my forebear, Charles Parsons (“The ship that launched a thousand grids”, 5 November). I thought you might be interested to know a little of this amazing inventor’s upbringing.

The background is one of pioneering work in science and engineering at Birr Castle in the very centre of Ireland, where Parson’s grandfather started by building what now seems to be the oldest suspension bridge surviving of its type anywhere. His father built what was the most powerful telescope in the world before the 20th century, …